Snowmobiles are driven across the snow in powder, wet, hard crust and other consistencies of snow as well as open water. The snowmobiles will on occasion tip over into the snow. Thus, one can readily see that snowmobiles readily take up snow and water into various parts of the vehicle. Water is readily dried from the metal components. The wetness, however, becomes entrapped into the seat, adding many pounds to the weight of the snowmobile and if not readily dried out can cause deterioration and in freezing conditions can cause the seat to become hard and uncomfortable.
The sport of snowmobiling takes many forms and is enjoyed by countless people, including the hobbiest, worker, and racer. Wetness of the seat affects all groups of snowmobilers in the manner of comfort and performance. Snowmobilers often desire the lightest weight and highest powered snowmobiles available to obtain maximum performance. Hauling the added weight of water precludes top performance for all riders.
Consequently, the staunchest snowmobilers remove their seat at the end of each day from the snowmobile and attempt to dry the seat out overnight and reduce the weight for the next day. This has provided marginal success, but requires more effort. Moreover, the construction of the standard seat allows moisture to reach deep within the recesses of the seat and not be subject to evaporation for weeks. Most snowmobilers suffer through the problem of added weight and decreased comfort.
Some solutions to solve the weight problem, include the use of rigid closed celled foams, such as Styrofoam. This, however, is uncomfortable to the snowmobiler due to the rigidity. Thus, while weight is controlled, it is done so at the sacrifice of comfort.
What is needed is a snowmobile seat that provides cushioning for the rider. The seat should use minimal foam padding, which absorbs moisture, to keep the weight of the vehicle as low as possible. Reduction of the foam padding should not reduce the cushioning of the seat. Preferably, the seat should have a structure for squeezing moisture out of the foam padding while underway.